Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov is heading into the last season of his contract, and the extension talks everyone expected to move fast still haven’t produced a deal. The sticking point appears to be the price. On the latest Chris Johnston Show, the insider said Kucherov is believed to be looking for about $20 million per season on a six-year contract, a figure that would more than double his current $9.5 million average annual value.
There’s no question Kucherov’s recent production backs up an elite payday. He just put up a 130-point season, won the Hart Trophy, and has topped 113 points in each of the last four seasons.
That’s star-level output in the purest sense. The problem for Tampa Bay is timing: he’ll be 34 when the next deal begins, and the Lightning have to weigh how long they want to pay top dollar before the scoring eventually starts to slide.
Cap space only sharpens the issue. Per PuckPedia, using the original projected cap increase, Tampa Bay has a little under $30 million available for next season, with as many as eight roster spots still to fill.
Handing roughly two-thirds of that to one player would leave GM Julien BriseBois with very little breathing room. BriseBois and Kucherov have both said they want to keep the conversation going and get something done, but there’s still plenty left to sort through.
The Lightning also moved quickly on a training camp PTO for center Luke Glendening. Eduardo A.
Encina of the Tampa Bay Times reported that Glendening, who signed his PTO on Wednesday, was only offered the opportunity on Tuesday after injuries to Yanni Gourde and Dominic James. The 37-year-old had been skating in Tampa Bay this summer hoping a tryout would open up, and it did with a team that already knows him well after two seasons in the organization.
And while Tampa Bay hasn’t made it official yet, the club has settled on its full-time emergency goalie for the season. Erik Erlendsson of Lightning Insider reported that Kyle Konin will fill that role.
Konin has served as an EBUG for Lightning home games for years, dressing five times overall - three times for Tampa Bay and twice for opponents - but he has never appeared in an official game. His last game action came at Grand Valley State University in the 2019-20 season.
In Other News...
Kucherov's Next Lightning Deal Just Became A Much Bigger Question
Nikita Kucherovs next contract with the Lightning was already going to be one of the biggest storylines in Tampa Bay, but the market around him just shifted in a way that could change the entire conversation. His current deal runs through the upcoming season, and the new collective bargaining agreement has tightened the range of long-term options teams can use, making this negotiation feel even more consequential for both sides.
Reports now have Kucherov operating in a territory far above his current $9.5 million average annual value, with a price tag that reflects how quickly the salary landscape has moved. For the Lightning, the challenge is no longer just keeping their star winger in the fold, but figuring out how to do it in a market where elite players are resetting expectations and the next step could determine just how far this relationship can stretch. [Read more 🡒]
Lightning Preseason Opener Brings An Early Roster Battle Into Focus
The Lightning are using their 2026-27 preseason opener against the Nashville Predators to get a first real look at how the roster is taking shape. Morning skate offered the first clues about the forward groups and defensive pairings, while Andrei Vasilevskiy and Mads Sogaard are lined up to handle the goaltending duties as Tampa Bay eases into exhibition play with a veteran-heavy group.
Even with camp still sorting itself out, the roster picture is already beginning to tighten. Tampa Bay has trimmed three players from try-out contracts, a reminder that the evaluation phase is moving quickly as rookies and bubble players keep competing for attention, ice time and a longer look before the preseason schedule gets deeper. [Read more 🡒]